S&T’s first building: the Rolla Building

Missouri S&T’s first building still stands and is home to our mathematics and statistics department. Built for Rolla’s high school, the City of Rolla originally owned the building and leased half of it to the University of Missouri Board of Curators for the soon-to-be university.

Construction was completed just five days before the university opened on Nov. 6, 1871.

In January 1875, Missouri S&T purchased the building from the city for $25,000. 

Today the Rolla Building joins Parker Hall and Norwood Hall as the only remaining buildings where students were educated during our first 50 years.

Share This Story

Spark a Memory?

Share your story! Fill out the form below to share your fondest memory or anecdote of S&T. If you'd prefer not typing, you can also share by phone at 833-646-3715 (833-Miner150).

Cheryl B. Schrader on strategic planning

Cheryl B. Schrader on strategic planning

Cheryl B. Schrader, who served as chancellor between 2012 and 2017, describes her approach to strategic...

The ‘steam locomotive’ of printers

The ‘steam locomotive’ of printers

When Philip Chen joined Xerox Corp. in 1967, only big companies could afford printers and scanners. Now retired and with…

From uranium to wine

From uranium to wine

Richard K. Vitek, a 1958 chemistry graduate, began his career as a research chemist producing uranium from ore, before moving…

An out-of-this-world championship

An out-of-this-world championship

How does a team go from worst to first in a matter of just a few years? Missouri S&T’s Mars…

Jack Ridley: a humanist among engineers

Jack Ridley: a humanist among engineers

Jack Ridley, who won many teaching awards during his career, describes the circumstances he faced as a new...

Y2K debugger

Y2K debugger

As the clock ticked down to the year 2000, computer scientists around the world were fretting about the so-called “Y2K…